English Civil War & Glorious Revolution: What impact did they have on the development of Locke's and Hobbes' Philosophies?

In Terms of Hobbes


  • The English Civil War shaped his philosophy.
  • During the English Civil War, after Richard Cromwell was exiled, Parliament met once again. They asked the son of Charles I to become king and he accepted.
  • After this, the next 25 years were known as the Restoration because the monarchy was restored.
  • When Charles died, his brother James II became king. He tried very hard to give Catholics and Protestants equal rights.
  • With the kings trying to do so much for their country, it was no wonder that Hobbes believed that the Kings should have absolute power. He saw them as the ones that will ensure peace among society.

In terms of Locke

  • The Glorious Revolution shaped his philosophy.
  • Parliament forced James II out of the throne and invited James’ daughter and her husband William III of Orange to become king and queen. 
  • Before they were crowned, they had to agree that Parliament was the lawmaking body in England, not the king. The king and queen also had to ask permission from Parliament to gather an army. 
  • William and Mary had to accept the English Bill of Rights. With them as rulers, England had a constitutional monarchy, the people even had a say in their government. 
  • Lastly, Parliament passed the Toleration Act  and the Act of settlement. England became a country with a king that shared its powers with Parliament, and they continued to expand and were still seen as a world power. 
  • With this division of power and everything going so well, England prospered and the king could not abuse his power because Parliament was present. 
  • Seeing how well this worked, it makes sense for John Locke to realize that instead of an absolute monarch, a government and a balance of power is the best way to lead a country.

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